Last Friday, the Lake Forest High School Boys Varsity Hockey (17-5-2) team swept Latin School of Chicago (7-9-3) in a three game series advancing them through the first round of the state playoffs. The Scouts defeated Latin in all six of their games this season which circulated an abundance of confidence throughout the Scouts’ locker room as they prepare for the Loyola Ramblers.

Junior defenseman Kyle Platt attributed their win to the student section and their style of play saying, “The fans brought a lot of energy that helped us work through the third period and we didn’t let their physical play get to us.”

Lake Forest College will certainly get rowdy throughout the remainder of playoffs. Located just off Sheridan Road, it operates as the perfect hub for the Boys’ Hockey Team as high school students flock for intense competition. This will surely help the Scouts against Loyola in round two of playoffs as two of the three games will be played at LFC.

More specifically, Forward Peter Haggerty credited a more minute detail, “We worked on our power play a bunch in practice and we carried that over.”

That’s a rare statement coming out of an experienced senior who is playing his fourth and final year with a coach who just joined the team in 2018. Coach Steve Sarauer, however, is deserving of the recognition, having turned the Scouts around from last in league in 2018 to second in 2019.

Haggerty likes that Coach Steve, “…has brought over new gameplay and drills that have helped us be successful in competition.”

Advancing through the series wasn’t the only accomplishment being passed around the hockey team last week as Senior Captain Griffin Slobodnik was given a spot on the Illinois All-State Team, granting him the opportunity to compete nationally.

Haggerty attributed the honor to “the combination of his speed, great hands, and work ethic.”

Slobodnik is innocent to life without hockey, giving him the advantage of numerous years of training. This training, however, is meaningless without the long time commitment that Slobodnik has given not only to his passion but also to his teammates.

Senior Defenseman Dennis Eveleigh recognizes Slobodnik’s undeniable talent, but looks to him more as, “…the ideal teammate [and] a great leader on and off the ice.”

The Scouts, boasting a series sweep and an All-State player, are in for a great series with the Loyola Ramblers this week with the series starting on Thursday at Lake Forest College.

Eveleigh thinks, “It’s just about staying focused and executing. We know what needs to be done and it’s just a matter of everybody doing their part.”

With the success the Scouts have had this year under Coach Steve, it’s hard to disagree with Eveleigh.

Peter Haggerty, on the other hand, talks through his smile when looking towards the matchup saying, “They are third in this league and we are second so we have to set the tone early in order to win.”

The stakes certainly will be high in the three game series against Loyola, so be sure to get out there and support the Varsity Hockey Team on their road to state.

The three game series will start on February 14th at 9:15 PM at Lake Forest College. Game Two will be played on February 17th at 4:00 PM at the American Heartland Ice Arena in Lincolnwood; if necessary, the series will close out back at Lake Forest College on February 20th at 7:30.